Despite its proximity to the cities of Coventry and Birmingham, Rugby was relatively unscathed during World War Two (Aliberti 2001, 48). Although 664 bombs were dropped on the Rugby area, only eight people were directly killed in air raids, with only twelve houses destroyed or damaged beyond repair (although 303 sustained lighter damage) (Howe 2006, 3). While Coventry may have been a preferential target for the German Luftwaffe, Rugby's war defences and the resilience of its residents clearly played a fundamental role in defending the city against attack.
